Holding Onto Hope
by Pricat
Summary: Weeks before his twenty first birthday, Artie is unwell through a magical spell but needs help. But somebody wants the kingdom and badly. It's up to Shrek and the others to help before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

**Holding Onto Hope**

Artie sighed. It was a dreary day in Far, Far Away and it was raining. But he had more important things on his mind. He was becoming twenty one in a few weeks and he was worried. It would make him official ruler of the kingdom. Right now he was just a prince learning how to rule from his Aunt Lillian.

"You okay Artie? You seem nervous for somebody who's turning twenty one in a few weeks." Lillian said to him. She along with Fiona were already planning the party.. But Artie wasn't sure if he could rule the kingdom or strong enough to try.

But somebody had snuck into the castle and pretended to be one of Artie's man servants. They'd slipped something into Artie's goblet at dinner that night.

"_This should be fun! Soon the kingdom will be mine and that foolish little Pendragon brat will be dead, out of the way!"_ he thought.....

At dinner Lillian noticed Artie was quiet as he ate. She wondered if it was to do with his birthday or about ruling the kingdom. She'd a feeling he thought he would be ruling alone..

But the manservant smiled seeing Artie drink from the goblet on the table. It was the one he'd tainted with magic. Things were going according to plan.

Artie then felt odd as he was in his room because he didn't feel so good as he fainted onto his bed.

Lillian ran in worried hearing that.

"Artie?

Can you hear me?" she asked softly putting him in bed.......


	2. Worried about Him

**Holding Onto Hope**

Fiona wondered what was wrong as she entered the castle in Far, Far Away. Her mother Lillian had sent a letter to the swamp asking her to come and saying that Artie needed help. She saw worry in Lillian's eyes as she entered the living room. Artie was lying on the couch in blankets mumbling in a feverish sleep.

"What.... happened to him? Why is he so sick like this?" Fiona asked her.

"I-I don't really know." Lillian said softly.

She looked like she'd been crying. She felt like Artie was the only one she had left in the family besides Artie and she was afraid she'd lose him like Harold.

"Don't worry Mom we won't lose him, I know it." Fiona reassured her as she saw Artie tremble.

His skin was pale, he was feverish and not himself.

It scared her to see him like this.

But Merlin looked grave as he examined Artie.

It was something he hadn't seen before and was worried but he then gasped consulting his spell book. He growled in anger as he saw Artie had been magically infected with some sort of cold that would..... change him.

"Change him how?" Fiona asked curious.

"Through infusing him with magic. Only some powrful sorceror would've done this but why to Artie?

That I don't understand." Merlin answered her softly. She saw Artie open his eyes and saw them glow faintly.

_"It's beginning to change him. But what if this gets worse?_

_Maybe there's a way to cure it_." Fiona thought.

"There might be a way...." Merlin answered them.


	3. Seeking Help from Friends

**Holding Onto Hope**

Charming cackled as he saw what was happening to Artie. He had gotten his niece to put the potion in the young ruler to be's goblet and smiled.

"Everything is going to plan. There's no way Shrek and the others can stop me this time!" he gloated as he saw his son Arduro run into the factory room.

"What's wrong?" he asked him.

"Shrek just went to Earth. I've a feeling he's going to seek those human friends of his,

What should we do?" he told him.

Charming growled hearing that. He knew they always beat him somehow but his niece had given him something special.

It was an odd necklace.

She'd told him it would help him if he wanted to.

Suddenly he felt powerful magic throb through him after putting it on.

Shrek sighed as he found Leah in her room late at night on the Net.

"What're you doing here?

It's been a while since our last adventure." she said smiling.

"Yes it's great to see you too Leah but where's Carley?

I'm going to need both of you to help. Something bad happened." he said softly to her.

She saw sadness in his hazel eyes as he said that. She had a feeling it was to do with Far, Far Away. "She's asleep in her room. She really missed you after our last adventure. She has been really quiet and keeping to herself when we're at school.

Maybe this will help." she replied as they came out of her room. They passed to Carley's room. Leah opened the door softly.

"She seems peaceful. I hope she's okay." Shrek whispered to her.

She smiled seeing Carley wake up. She smiled seeing her ogre friend there as she got out of bed as they went into Leah's room.

"What's going on?

It's been a while since anything went down in Far, Far Away." Carley told him.

She felt better around him. They had a powerful bond between them.

"Something bad happened to Artie. He drank something at dinner the other night and now he's sick. Merlin said it will infuse him with magic. I've a feeling a certain ex prince is behind this." Shrek explained to them.

"Yeah you're right!

Don't worry we'll help!

We always do." Carley said excited.

Shrek laughed at that.

_"That's good that she hasn't changed since.... last time. I don't want to lose her or Leah after what we've been through. Something tells me things will change._

_But what_?" he thought.

As the early morning sun wore on, they were dressed and ready to go.

"Portalus Openus!" Carley yelled as magic emitted from her hand creating a portal as they went through it.

But somebody else had followed them.....


End file.
